The present invention relates to the field of image capturing devices and processes. More specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention relates to systems and methods for remote image capturing using interactive profiles to dynamically control aspects of image capture.
In many instances, present image capture devices do not support profiles for storing control instructions associated with recurrent image capture needs. Accordingly, such devices require manual configuration prior to each capture. Some existing image capturing devices do support static profiles to aid in the capturing of images. In such devices, each static profile includes a set of instructions used by the device to control the methods and settings for scanning and processing a document. Such profiles provide a mechanism for storing control instructions associated with recurrent image capture needs but provide a one size fits all approach to this problem.
The OPTRAIMAGE multifunction device (Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, Ky.) is an example of a system supporting such static profiles. This device extended the static profile approached in a limited fashion by allowing users to enter one or more integers using a keypad on the device in conjunction with a selected static profile. This integer entry capability afforded limited dynamic control, such as number of copies. This limited extension did not provide a facility for dynamic control of more complex aspects of image capture and disposition potentially controllable via a profile.
A significant limitation of static profiles is that they do not provide an image capturing device operator with the capability to provide dynamic information that relates to a specific document to be captured by the device. The present invention provides a practical and efficient solution to the limitations of static profiles.